


Anything For You

by capmarvel



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asgard (Marvel), Battle of New York (Marvel), Blackmail, But Bad Too, But It's Not Really His Choice, Hurt Peter, Hurt/Comfort, Loki Feels, Loki Is Good, Loki Needs a Hug, Loki-centric, M/M, Nothing Naughty Happens Until Peter is 16, Peter is 16 in homecoming, Poor Loki, Post-Battle of New York (Marvel), Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Pre-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Protective Loki, Psychological Torture, Torture, Underage - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2018-12-13 05:07:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11752677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capmarvel/pseuds/capmarvel
Summary: In which Loki meets Peter in a New York alleyway, promptly falls in love and finds that he'll do anything to keep him safe. Even if that means letting aliens take over his mind.ON HIATUS FOR A WHILE





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this doesn’t really slot neatly into the MCU, but it combines events from several movies in an invented timeline. Basically, it’ll be almost a year before Thor, Thor, Avengers, Spider-Man Homecoming and then Thor 2 in quite a short period. Also changing it up a bit, so Peter will be 14 at the start of the story and 16 in Spider-Man (hence the underage warning). I don't actually own anything (unfortunately) and comments are very much appreciated.

He blended into the busy streets of New York City easily in his recently conjured clothes. The simplicity of Midgardian clothing once irked him, but now he appreciated the anonymity they permitted. He walked with a noticeable spring in his step, thankful to have escaped his overbearing father and insufferable brother. The wind that snuck its way through the countless skyscrapers gave the night a cool bite, one that suited the Aesir god just fine. 

He did this often; escaping Asgard through secret portals and spending hours at a time in different realms. Midgard was his favourite. The inventions of its people and the constant buzz it emitted enabled Loki to forget who he was, even if it was only for a time. 

Tonight he’d had yet another argument with his father over his inability to wield a sword like his brother. The disagreement ran much deeper than that of course, many centuries of building resentment often caused fights between all members of his family. Except maybe Thor. Despite obtaining their father’s favour, Thor seemed to lack even the most basic level of intelligence; at least that’s what Loki liked to tell himself. Thor was seemingly oblivious to the tension amongst the rest of the family, and oblivious towards how the rest of Asgard viewed Loki. Maybe that wasn’t entirely accurate…the way that Thor felt the need to constantly guard and ‘protect’ him seemed to be a perfect reflection of how Loki was perceived. Weak, sickly and feminine. Loki usually tried to ignore what everyone else thought, but that became hard once Thor had gone and made friends, then insisted on Loki being friends with them as well. Then, the opinions of others became harder to ignore. 

The gossip wasn’t entirely baseless though, and that was perhaps what bothered Loki the most. He simply wasn’t as strong as the rest of the kids his age. In all the annual tournaments and festivals this became only too obvious. And when he did manage to beat his opponent, it was when he had resorted to using magic. Whilst not strictly forbidden in these duels, it was frowned upon, after all, magic was a _women’s_ craft. Loki had also spent most of his younger years under the constant supervision of a handmaiden due to his common dizzy spells and bouts of illness. He spent more time in his chambers, reading and wallowing in self-pity than he did anywhere else. 

Loki’s experiences growing up in Asgard had at least hardened him and made him less sensitive towards others. He was no longer afraid of confrontation. He was no longer upset or scared by the rejection he faced from his peers, instead he pushed all his energy towards being better than them. He perfected his craft, becoming a fierce mage. He stopped allowing others to see his weakness and now the gossip back home surrounded him being an unfeeling monster who would sooner betray all of Asgard than shed a tear. Loki had always found that a bit of an exaggeration, but perhaps if the opportunity arose, Loki mightn’t be in the mood to shed a tear for the world that shunned him.

A loud metal clang and pained cry from around the corner startled Loki out of his train of thought, drawing his attention to the dark alleyway. He only then noticed that the throngs of people had thinned out to almost no one in sight. The muffled sounds continued, followed by a series of grunts and not yet comprehensible slurs. Normally, Loki would have continued walking, as if he’d never noticed the sounds, but the desperation in one of the voices made Loki tense in a way that was unfamiliar to him. His heart beat a little faster and he crept quietly towards the noise. 

There dim lighting of the scarce streetlights didn’t effect Loki, allowing his to see three men huddling around something – some _one?_ \- at the far end of the alley. He came closer still, until he was only a couple of paces behind the men, and could make out a huddled figure curled against the ground, trying to protect himself from the blows reigned down upon him. A surge of compassion ran through Loki at the sight. It wasn’t an emotion that Loki was all that familiar with, having not experienced it in the last few centuries, but looking at the young figure, Loki couldn’t help but remember how his brother and his friends had treated him as child. No, maybe they didn’t beat him to a pulp in a filthy alleyway, but the emotions of rejection, loneliness and hopelessness he had felt, were the same ones he sensed from the boy before him. 

“Do you really not have anything better you could be doing tonight?” Loki asked from behind them, causing the three men to jump around and stare at the strange figure in surprise. Loki tried to ignore the fact that the boy on the ground still hadn’t uncurled himself and remained on the ground, rocking back and forth. 

“Who the hell are you?” The bulkiest of the lot yelled out, buffing his chest arrogantly.

“I am Loki, of Asgard”, He proclaimed, yet this only added to the delinquents’ confusion. 

Loki rolled his eyes impatiently, and the next thing they boys knew, Loki had the eldest on the ground, his boot grinding his face into the wet asphalt. 

“And you, pathetic humans, best be on your way”.

He gave them one of his sarcastic smiles before letting up the pressure on his foot. The three scampered away, almost tripping over themselves in their haste to escape. 

Loki watched their retreat for a moment longer, before turning back to the boy on the ground. Looking at him now, it wasn’t so hard to see why he became the target of the boys’ violence. Unlike them, he was lean and pale, and cursed with a short stature. His small frame shivered against the cold ground, muffled sobs racking his body. 

Loki knelt down beside him and gently reached out a hand to rest on his shoulder. The boy flinched suddenly, and looked up at Loki with two very brown, very terrified, eyes.

“Please…no…”

Getting a closer look at him, Loki was able to see the full extent of his facial injuries. His plump bottom lip had been viscously split, adding to the stream of blood running out his mouth and down his chin. His left cheek and both eye sockets were tinted a deep purple, whilst his right cheek, the one that had been pressed to the ground, was oozing blood from a nasty graze. Another trickle of blood ran down from a deep gash through one of his eyebrows, parting around the eye below. The way he was wheezing slightly, Loki assumed he had at least one broken rib, but the dark clothing he wore prevented Loki from knowing the full extent of his injuries. It wasn’t the injuries though that had Loki’s heart hurting; it was the innocent look in his eyes and the fear that Loki would add to his pain. 

“Shhh…” Loki whispered and moved his hand the cup his ungrazed cheek. Muttering a short incantation, Loki focused his energy on the boy’s injuries. 

Slowly, the wounds on the boy’s face began to heal. The boy gasped and closed his eyes as the bourgeoning bruises began to fade and the skin under his eyebrow fused back together, leaving only the blood behind. Once his breath sounded more even and healthy, Loki removed his hand, ignoring the way the boy seemed to follow his movement. 

“H…How did you do that?” The boy whispered.

Loki, despite not being one to hide his true nature, just hushed the boy and moved to help him up. He smiled a little at the wonderment that took over his eyes, glad to see the fear replaced. He didn’t struggle under the boy’s weight as he hoisted him up onto his he feet. He stumbled a little, grabbing Loki’s shirt to steady himself. Almost instinctively, Loki wrapped his arm around him, holding him until he steadied.

“Thanks” He breathed softly.

Only then did Loki register just how young the boy was. Obviously pre-pubescent, but also naïve and trusting, the way he still leaned into Loki was proof of this. Not that Loki was complaining though, the warmth of the boy’s body comforted Loki in a way that he wasn’t quite familiar with. 

“Where is your home? I can take you there safely”.

The boy just shook his head and seemed to push himself even further into Loki’s chest.

“Don’t wanna go home yet”, he whined, not taking his eyes off the ground. 

“Where do you want to go…?” He drifted off, only just realising that he hadn’t yet acquired the boy’s name.

“Peter”.

“Okay, Peter”. He repeated his quetion.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Loki sat opposite Peter in a small corner sandwich shop.


	2. Mr and Mrs Parker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next few chapters will sort of just be snapshots of Loki and Peter’s buddying relationship, laying foundations for later in the story. Get prepared for some pretty frequent time jumps and background information. 
> 
> Not edited as of now, wanted to get an update in though.

Over the following two months, Loki made an effort to meet with Peter on at least one night of his Midgardian week. These meetings allowed Loki to understand more about the boy, who, as time went on, turned out to be a surprisingly remarkable human. He had just begun his freshman year but struggled to make friends. He only had one, a trustworthy boy named Ned. Loki had spied him out a couple of times when he had been watching over Peter during the day. He did that often too.

On one of those occasions, he had recognised the three boys who had been in the alley that night, but on Peter’s request he had promised not to physically harm them. Apparently they were ‘seniors’ and wouldn’t be around to bother him much longer anyway. Loki had to admit, for what he perceived to be such simple creatures, Midgardians still managed to formulate an education system far more complex than the one back in Asgard. A little part of Loki was jealous though, when he heard Peter complaining about having to study literature and languages, knowing that when he did so on his home planet he became the target of the insults and slurs of his _peers_. 

They’d settled into a really nice familiarity, a friendship of sorts. Loki felt comfortable in the boy’s presence and hoped the sentiment was returned. 

* * *

He currently sat in that same corner store, opposite Peter who was slurping loudly at a bright pink milkshake. Normally the sound would have annoyed Loki to no end, and he would have ultimately lashed out at the culprit, but he seemed to be making a lot of small concessions for the boy. Instead of cursing him into Hel, Loki just smiled, resting his head on his hand and admiring the youthful innocent that the boy radiated. He didn’t understand how cruel the world could be, that those boys from school were nothing compared to the beasts that roamed the void between realms. Loki hoped that it would stay that way for as long as possible.

Peter had acquainted himself with the owner of the shop, a nice Spanish man who was teaching Peter a few phrases here and there, but Loki could tell by the look on his face that he was doing it out of some form of pity and never actually expected Peter to learn anything. 

Loki had noticed that a bit actually, everyone who knew Peter looked at him with this uniform sense of pity. Ned, a little bit less, but even his parents at home, yes Loki may have been watching him a few times there as well, seemed reluctant to treat him like a normal being. At first Loki had chalked it up to Peter’s slight frame and not strictly masculine features, but then he’d noticed other kids in a similar predicament that seemed to have none of the same issues. Instead of pondering the endless possibilities like he normally would have, Loki decided just to ask Peter.

“Why does everyone look at you like that?” He questioned, nodding his head towards the shop owner who stared at them, quite obviously, from behind the counter. Upon noticing the glances from their table he promptly grabbed a cloth and busied himself with cleaning an already spotless bench. 

“Like what?” Peter asked, his frown pulling his eyebrows together in a way that Loki would never outwardly admit was cute.

“Like you’re something fragile that is about to break.”

Peter’s eyes took on a darker tint, his look of confusion transitioning into one of distant pain. He pulled his lip through his teeth and nibbled on it anxiously, trying to avoid Loki’s intense gaze. It took a few minutes before the boy shook his head resolutely and finally looked up at him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Loki didn’t believe him for a second, he was the God of Lies after all.

“Surely you have seen it to. I mean, even your parents treat you the same way.”

Peter breathed in through his nose suddenly, and Loki knew by the way he clenched his jaw, that he’d struck a nerve.

“My parents?”

Oh right, he didn’t know about the spying. Loki tried to explain himself.

“Well yes, I have seen them a couple of times after dropping you off.”

Now it was Peter’s turn to not believe him.

“They’ve been asleep every time you’ve dropped me off. I don’t even leave the house to meet you most of the time, until I know they’re not awake. Have you-”, he paused, “Have you been spying on me?” He managed to choke out.

Loki wasn’t quite sure how to respond. Again, if it had been anyone else he would’ve brushed off the allegation and perhaps even gotten angry at being accused of doing such a thing. But something inside him made him cautious of the situation, even a little apprehensive about how the boy was going to react. He struggled to admit it, even to himself, but he cared what Peter thought of him, and he didn’t want their relationship to be ruined beyond repair if he continued to lie to Peter. God of Lies yes, but he found himself struggling to find the conviction to draw on his skills. 

“Well, not exactly…I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay. That those boys did not come back to hurt you again.”

There, not quite a lie, but not quite the truth either. 

“That doesn’t excuse it Loki. It’s a total invasion of my privacy. I don’t exactly appreciate you following me around, thinking you need to protect me. I managed just fine before I met you.”

And with that, Loki felt just a little bit of sympathy for his brother. Was this how he felt, wanting to shield Loki from the dangers of the world simply because he cared? Loki still resented the lack of freedom that came with his brother’s protection, but maybe he could understand why he felt compelled to do so. Despite this, Loki also understood how Peter was feeling. The loathsome feeling that everyone thought you were to weak to manage on your own, that they had to watch everything you did to make sure you were safe.

“I know but I am not going to apologise for wanting you safe.”

Peter gave him a look between a glare and a frown before sighing and running his hand through his hair. Right now he looked so different from five minutes ago. He no longer looked so young and innocent; instead he looked like he’d already been through a whole lifetime of hardship. He went back to awkwardly sipping at his milkshake, but this time he was noticeably quieter. Loki sipped from his cup of tea, a surprisingly pleasing Midgardian blend, eyeing the boy thoughtfully. They remained quiet for quite a while before Peter finished his drink and realised that he had nothing else to distract him from Loki’s previous question.

“They’re not my parents.”

Loki frowned. “Who?”

“The people you saw at my house weren’t my parents. That was my uncle Ben and Aunt May.”

Something in his tone gave everything away to Loki. The grief and loss that he went through, losing his parents. As much as Loki fought with his own, he couldn’t imagine never being able to see either of them ever again. He reached out over the table and placed his hand over Peter’s. The boy flinched at the unexpected contact, but then seemed to relax and take comfort in the gesture.

“How-”

“Car accident.”

Loki just nodded and squeezed Peter’s hand a bit tighter.

“I am sorry for your loss.”

That seemed to incense Peter just a bit.

“Everyone always says that. What are you sorry for though? You didn’t kill them. And besides, I hardly even remember them. I was seven when they died. I remember bits and pieces, but not enough to actually miss them, maybe what they represent but not them.”

“You seem upset about it. It’s not easy to lose anyone, no matter how old you are.”

Loki wasn’t sure where all this advice was coming from, considering he hadn’t lost anyone that close to him yet. 

Peter remained silent for a few moments.

“I think I’m more upset about people expecting me to be upset. Everyone constantly thinks I’m hurting or missing them. It makes me feel as if there’s something wrong with me, because that’s not the case.”

Frustrated tears built up in Peter’s eyes throughout his declaration, and despite his effort to blink them away, a few rolled down his pale cheeks. Loki’s heart lurched, and without even thinking about it, he lifted a hand and wiped away the stray tears before cupping his cheek.

“There is nothing wrong with you Peter. No matter what anyone else says, you are you and that is all that matters. There’s no guide on how one should feel in these situations, and no one has the right to dictate it either.”

Peter made eye contact with Loki, his eyes shining with the leftover tears, and smiled slightly. Perhaps subconsciously, Peter turned his head to almost nuzzle the hand that remained there. He took a lot of comfort from the touch, something he had been deprived of ever since his parents passed. It wasn’t that his aunt and uncle didn’t love him or treat him well, but they consistently made it clear that they weren’t there to replace his parents. That meant they had set themselves a whole lot of rules and standards, line that shouldn’t be crossed, keeping them from being able to truly understand Peter.

“You really think that?” He asked hopefully whilst reluctantly pulling away from the warm hand.

Loki only nodded his affirmation, drawing his hand back and taking another sip of his now cold tea. 

“Tell me about them.”

Peter frowned again. “Who?”

“You’re aunt and uncle, the ones who look after you.”

Peter’s expression turned to one of fondness as he began to explain his relationships to Loki.

“Uncle Ben is super cool and we always get to go out and do stuff together. He’s really into science and stuff, so sometimes he’ll let me go out on the roof with him and we get to do these really cool experiments and stuff…”

Loki tuned out a little, still hearing what Peter was saying, but taking more note of the expressions on the boy’s face as he launched into recounting memories of his relatives; experiments gone wrong or him and his uncle sneaking around his aunt’s back, watching action and horror movies that were made for people older than Peter. He seemed a little bit more serious when it came to discussing his aunt May, but the love in his voice never lessened.

“I don’t know what would’ve happened to me if they didn’t take me in, Ben and May. I’d probably end up stuck in one of those foster homes or something. I owe them everything, they’re all I have.”

Peter was decidedly more sombre when saying that, but before he could dwell too long, he launched into another exciting tale of how he and Ben had stopped a man from mugging an elderly lady on the street. Again, Loki was only half listening, but even if he noticed, Peter didn’t seem deterred. Loki was thankful that he didn’t seem too affected by the loss of his parents, but nevertheless, his heart ached at the thought of what he went through. The more he got to know Peter, the more Loki’s perceptions of humans, and Midgard more generally, were challenged.


	3. Asgard Seems Like a Pretty Shitty Place

They were at a park today - a large plot of greenery in the middle of the hectic city of New York. It wasn’t that close to where they normally arranged to meet, in a whole other area of the city to where Peter lived. It was definitely a lot busier in this area, but the park did provide a level of serenity that Loki hadn’t managed to find anywhere else in the city. 

Peter had stretched himself out on a sunny patch of grass in front of Loki. He had been excited to go to the park today because apparently it was in the middle of the cold season and they hadn’t had a sunny day in a few weeks. Loki hadn’t really minded, but he sat in the shade of a large tree instead of joining Peter in the sun. The sickness that came with overexposure that plagued his childhood still managed to affect him now, so when he could, he avoided staying in the sun’s glare for too long. 

From where he sat, he could admire Peter in all his glory. The sun made his pale skin look as if it was glowing and gave his hair an irresistible shine. He had been a little bit stressed lately, with exams coming up at his school, but right now, with his head thrown back like it was, he looked like the definition of carefree. They’d managed to find a relatively quiet area of the park, but Loki could still hear the sounds of children squealing in delight at the range of birds that surrounded one of the ponds just before them. 

Much like what he experienced whenever he looked at Peter, Loki felt a surge of jealousy as he looked at them running around joyously. The way that they could behave so cheerfully all the time, like they didn’t have a care in the world irked him. Whenever he thought back to his childhood, Loki could always remember being told that he had to act in a way that was becoming of a prince: always using the right manners, and never behaving in a way that might reflect badly upon the king. Loki knew the consequences of acting out, as he had been quite mischievous as a child, and that was what contributed to his extended seclusion inside his chambers. 

As he watched a young boy throw himself happily into his father’s arms, Loki felt the jealousy increase tenfold. The way that the father hugged his son and swung him up onto his shoulders reminded Loki of the relationship with his father that he never had. He had memories of when he would venture into the throne room after completely a particularly difficult spell, or catching some game with his daggers, and the response that would draw from his father. Instead of congratulating him, or giving him praise, Odin would only tell him he should be improving his sword and combat skills instead. When Loki tried to argue that his daggers _were_ useful in combat, Odin would only shake his head as if Loki was an annoyance he wished he could rid himself of. On particularly bad days, Odin would compare his achievements to Thor’s, just so Loki knew that he’d never really be good enough. 

One exceptionally painful memory was aroused as he remembered one such occasion, where he’d brought in a baby boar that he’d managed to hit whilst he was in the woods with one of his tutors.

* * *

Loki was roughly the equivalent of 7 Midgardian years and Thor and his friends had gone on their first official hunting trip a couple of days ago. Loki was upset that he was too young and inexperienced to join them, so one of his tutors promised to take him out to the woods one afternoon for a short hunting trip.

Loki was so excited as they ventured through the thick forest on their horses. He had a bow and arrow with him, but wasn’t a very accurate or experienced archer so he decided to rely on his twin daggers he’d been gifted on his previous name day. 

They didn’t ride too deep into the woods, stopping only a few minutes after they’d entered, but his tutor had promised him that this was a common spot for animals to come and grab a drink from the waterhole. Not long later, Loki spotted a small creature on their side of the water, and without hesitating, took aim and gracefully flung his dagger. The animal let out a small wine as it wedged itself deep into its heart, but collapsed almost instantly. Loki yelled triumphantly and ran over to grab it.

His tutor asked him if he would like to stay on, seeing as he’d caught something so soon, but Loki was too excited by his results, and instantly wanted to show Odin.

Once they reached the palace, he came rushing into one of the royal dining rooms, carrying the beast, and leapt into his father’s lap. He hadn’t noticed that Odin had been in the middle of a tactical discussion with some of his top generals, but it quickly became obvious when Odin turned his one very angry eye towards him. He quickly shoved the young boy off his lap.

“Loki, how many times have I told you not to interrupt me whilst I am in the middle of a meeting?”

Loki looked at his feet, remembering the many times he’d been lectured on it. But no, this time was different; this time he’d finally done something that would make his father proud of him.

“But father, I caught this beast in the woods today. I did it all by myself with only my daggers.”

One of the generals at the table laughed at the pathetic creature that was extended towards Odin.

“Oh Jotunheimr better watch out. With skills like that he’ll be catching those filthy Jotunns in no time!”

At first Loki thought it a complement and beamed proudly, but then as his father and all the other men in the room, including the guards at the doors, began to laugh. Loki’s smile was wiped away and he lowered his arm dejectedly. As he turned to leave the room, wanting to get away from all the chuckling generals, the doors to the room were thrown open loudly.

“I have returned father, and brought with me enough game to feast for an entire week!”

Loki looked up to see Thor standing in the doorway proudly, a grey wolf slung over his shoulder. His shirt had been stained with blood, but Thor seemed to wear it like a medal.

Upon seeing the beast over his shoulder the men in the room burst into applause and congratulations. Even his father heaved himself out of his throne and made his way over to his eldest son to pat him on the back fondly. If that wasn’t enough to make Loki want to run into the woods, never to return, the next words that came from Odin’s mouth most certainly did.

“Take note Loki, this is a _real_ beast.”

* * *

Peter noticed Loki’s pained expression and frowned. As much as he’d divulged to the man over the past six months, he still didn’t know nearly half as much about Loki. He knew that he was the prince of another planet, and that he could use magic to do just about anything, but when it came to who Loki _really_ was, Peter knew nothing.

“What are you thinking about?”

Loki snapped out of his stupor as he heard Peter’s voice. He looked over towards the boy who was now sitting cross-legged and facing him. His eyes stared at him intensely, questioning. 

“Nothing really”, was his pathetic response.

Peter just rolled his eyes at that. He knew that if he wanted to actually find out anything about Loki he was going to have to work for it.

“Oh so you just space out like that all the time then? Come on, I don’t know anything about you, but I do know that you weren’t just thinking about nothing.”

Loki sighed at Peter’s words, knowing that he was correct. Well kind of correct. He said he didn’t know anything about him, but he knew more about him than anyone else on this planet, and more than most back on Asgard. 

“I was thinking about Asgard…my brother…my father…” he drew out eventually.

“And why would thinking of your home make you look upset like you did before?” Peter asked cautiously. Whilst he did want to know what was going on with Loki, he didn’t want to overstep any bounds that may exist between them. He had Ned, and Ben and May, but other than them Loki was the only one who had stuck around long enough to get to know him. He was scared that if he seemed too inquisitive, or if he did something that Loki didn’t like, that he would leave him and not return. The thought of that happening made Peter feel sadder than he expected. 

“Things aren’t exactly _good_ between me and my family. They don’t really understand me…” Loki knew that his answer wasn’t going to absolve Peter of his curiosity, but he wasn’t quite sure how to frame it. He’d never had to verbally explain to anyone the intricacies of Asgard’s royal family. He didn’t think he was capable of summing up centuries of bitterness and tension into a few short sentences. 

“How so?”

Loki wanted to tell him, and that alone made him feel quite confused. He’d never felt the need to divulge anything to anyone, but something made him want to tell Peter everything, and then accept the comfort that he would offer. He was also a bit reluctant to complain about his relationship with his father though, considering that Peter had lost his and he was sure he was going to come across as an ungrateful brat. 

He decided that maybe it would be best to start at the beginning, from his first memories of being treated like an outsider.

* * *

He detailed his whole childhood. His memories of his cold and distant father who always seemed to favour Thor over him. He half expected Peter to object as he talked about this, saying that it probably just _seemed_ unfair to him, like everyone else he’d tried to tell had, but Peter just remained quiet and thoughtful. He went on to discuss his mother, whom he loved dearly but never felt loved him as much in return. That or she was just too afraid to stand up to Odin all those time he’d treated Loki poorly in front of her. He talked about his friends, or lack thereof, of Thor’s friends, particularly the Warrior’s Three and Sif. About how his skills in magic never seemed to impress anyone, but rather make them dislike him even more. 

He felt a bit unjustified complaining about all these things in front of someone who’d suffered as much as Peter had. In reality, Loki had everything he could ever need, all the food and books he could dream of, a lovely horse, a comfortable bed, and he was a _prince_. He knew Peter wasn’t that wealthy, and didn’t live a life of excess, only getting by on what was needed. That didn’t seem to faze the boy though, with no traces of anger or resentment on his face. A few times throughout his recount he had to wipe away some tears, his old sensitivities coming back full force. They made him feel even more ridiculous, but even though he remained quiet, Peter didn’t seem to be judging him.

Once he’d finished, the sky had transformed into a marvellous pink as the sun had begun to sink below the horizon. He looked over to see the same pensive expression on Peter’s face. He waited for the boy to speak first, nervous as to what his reaction would be.

“Wow”, he began, “Asgard seems like a pretty shitty place.”

Loki laughed at that, glad that he didn’t try to apologise for what he’d been through, or tell him that his anger towards Asgard and its inhabitants was unfounded. 

He didn’t notice that Peter had crept forwards until he felt arms gently wrap around his waist. Almost instantly, Loki fell into his embrace, all masks gone, and began to weep. It had been so long since someone had held him like this, since anyone had shown him any sort of affection.


	4. Chapter Four: Name Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not yet edited, so there may be a few mistakes.
> 
> I saw Thor: Ragnarok on Sunday and it's honestly, probably, the best movie in the MCU. It's so funny but there's a good deal of emotion and action and Taika Waititi is actually amazing. If you're not already planning to see it, GO SEE IT!!!

Loki sat on the fire escape landing, peering into the room intently. It was completely dark and quiet inside, a contrast to the lights and night-time soundscape of New York. From where he was, he could hear the intermittent screeching of tires, distant music and the occasional raised voice. Much like before he met Peter, Loki took comfort in the hectic environment around him.

This trip was a little bit different to the ones he had taken before. It was almost the middle of the night, the beginning of a new day, as he sat outside the small apartment. Despite Peter not uttering a word about it to him, Loki had discovered that it was Peter’s birthday the next day. He hadn’t had much time to find him a present, but he hoped that Peter enjoyed what he _had_ got him. 

The days had gradually gotten warmer, and Loki cringed at the sensation of perspiration rolling down his back. He had taken to visiting more at night, now that it was getting too warm and sunny for him to spend extended periods of time outside. If he did come when it was sunny, they would go to a museum or some other indoor attraction. By now, Loki actually had a good sense of the city, and sometimes found himself exploring new parts of it on his own.

Finally, he noticed the digital clock inside indicating that a new day had commenced. Without hesitating, Loki uttered a spell that transported him to the bedroom beyond the window. He had considered a more substantial entrance, knocking or throwing stones at the window, but reason with his less extravagant side. Peter probably wasn’t keen on his aunt or uncle waking up to find an Asgardian god inside their nephew’s bedroom. 

Once inside, Loki took a moment to survey the room. Even with his superior sight, the room was still so dark that Loki had to squint to make out his surroundings. Posters randomly littered the wall, mostly of bands, but there were some sporting memorabilia displayed as well. In one corner, a desk had been pushed against the wall and was littered with papers that made no sense to Loki. Above the desk, a shelf housed a few photos of Peter and his family. His heart tugged a little as he picked up one of a very young Peter on a woman’s lap, with a man sat behind the both of them, his arms wrapped around them. Despite only just being able to make them out, the faces were so similar to Peter’s, he had no doubt these were his parents. He sent them a little thank you, for Peter into the world, before placing the photo back.

Not wanting to waste the precious little time he had with Peter, Loki slowly crept towards the bunk bed in the corner. Despite almost tripping over several items of clothing and stationery, he managed to make it to the bedside without awakening the now fifteen-year-old Peter. He reached out a hand and gently stroked his face, pushing his stubborn, overgrown curls behind his ear. Peter shifted under his touch, his two brown eyes opening sluggishly. 

Upon seeing Loki kneeling before his bed, Peter frowned tiredly, not sure whether he was dreaming or whether the God of Mischief had actually snuck into his room at the middle of the night.

“Loki?”

Loki smiled as Peter gradually become more aware of his surroundings. His heart swelled with affection as he rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. 

“Hey, Peter. A little bird told me today was a pretty special day for you.”

A bright realisation sparked in Peter’s eyes, and upon realising that this was in fact not a dream, sat up and wrapped his arms around Loki’s neck. Since their first hug that day in the park, Loki and Peter had often found themselves seeking the physical comfort of one another. Loki had finally managed to open himself up to physical affection, or affection at all, and was often the one initiating their hugs and contact. He wrapped one of his arms around Peter’s waist, the other one still holding on to the presents he had wrapped with tacky wrapping paper he had purchased earlier that night. Peter noticed his half-hearted attempt at reciprocation and pulled back, the frown from before returning to his face. 

“Wh…”

His words drifted off as Loki presented the two small packages. Peter squinted, not quite able to make out what he was holding, but once he managed to put two and two together, a huge smile lit up his face. 

“Loki, you really didn’t have to get me anything.”  
“They’re nothing much, sentimental more than anything. And if you don’t like them, I won’t be offended. They were kind of last minute…”

Loki found himself rambling, inexplicably nervous that Peter wouldn’t like what he had gotten him. He wouldn’t be totally surprised; after all, they were truly last-minute gifts. 

Peter excitedly took the presents from Loki’s hands but realised that he wouldn’t be able to see them properly once he’d opened them. Excusing himself for a moment, he tiptoed towards his desk and flicked on his lamp. Loki, understanding what he was doing, followed him and stood before him.

Peter fumbled a bit with the wrapping paper, a dorky smile lighting up his face at the childish print. He finally managed to unwrap the first item - a small wooden box with a silver lock on the front. A confused yet thankful smile grew on his face.  
“Loki, it’s so nice, thank you!”

Loki laughed at the fake enthusiasm.

“That’s not the present, stupid. Open the box.”

Peter’s blush grew, spreading down his neck as he giggled awkwardly.

“Right, my bad.”

He struggled even more trying to unclasp the box, but finally, he managed to open the case to reveal a brown leather bracelet. Pressed on the outside of the bracelet was a series of Asgardian runes. Loki had forged it manually, not using magic to perfect the imprint of each rune. It took him several hours, hidden away in the craftsmen’s workshop in the palace. Peter frowned slightly at the symbols, not able to decipher what they said. 

“They’re runes”, Loki explained as he realised his confusion. “They spell out your name”, he said lamely, suddenly embarrassed with the simplicity of the gift.

Peter didn’t seem to mind though, instantly attempting to tie it around his wrist. He stuck his tongue out in concentration, his attention shifting to an intense focus. Despite his determination, Peter couldn’t figure out how to secure the bracelet around his wrist. Loki smiled before stepping forward to help.

“What have you got planned for today?” He asked absentmindedly as he worked with the ties.

“Well, actually Ben’s going to take me to this really cool science exhibition thing at this museum and it’s going to be so awesome. I’ve wanted to go for ages, but the tickets are quite pricey so he decided that it might be a good contribution to my birthday present…” Peter rambled on excitedly. 

Loki only half listened, but he was secretly happy watching the younger boy glow with enthusiasm. He thought Peter deserved the world, and he struggled to put into words how good he felt knowing that he was happy and cared for. 

Loki secured the bracelet and looked up. His eyes caught Peter’s and he found his breath stuck in his throat. He quickly took note of their close proximity, and actively took a step back to avoid a situation he shouldn’t be encouraging. Peter looked away quickly and cleared his throat awkwardly. To try and avoid an uncomfortable silence Loki gestured to the second present that Peter promptly started unwrapping.

The paper pulled away to reveal a silver, handheld mirror. If Peter seemed confused by the first present, he was well beyond comprehension at this point.

“A mirror?” Peter asked.  
“Not quite.” He paused. “It’s like two-sided portal…only you can’t travel through it…basically it will allow you to contact me, or me to contact you…”

Peter didn’t respond, so Loki pushed on.

“I know it seems rather archaic, especially amongst all the technological advances you humans have made, but it does its job. With it, you will be able to communicate with me without me actually being here.”

Before Loki could comprehend what was happening, Peter threw himself into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck. Loki paused for a moment, unused to the obvious displays of emotion that Peter was so prone to displaying, before gently windings his arms around the boy’s waist. He buried his head in the nape of his neck, breathing in his sweet scent, before quickly reminding himself of how young an innocent Peter was, and how crude and inappropriate those thoughts were. Even with that in mind, Loki couldn’t help the giddy feeling he got in his stomach whenever he noticed Peter’s eyes on him. Or how much he loved gazing into those eyes. 

At that moment, Peter drew back a little bit, and the two of them stood face to face. Even in the dark lighting of the room, Peter’s eyes shone their chocolate brown proudly. His eyes wandered a little bit lower, past his speckled nose, and to the pair of deliciously plump lips. Peter’s eyes followed his, and he darted his tongue out nervously, swiping over said lips and making them glisten moistly. Loki knew as they leant in slowly, that this was a very bad idea. The worst idea he had had in a long time. Worse than cutting all of Sif’s hair off. Worse than stealing his father’s eye patch the other day. This would have long-term consequences that Loki wasn’t sure he was prepared to deal with. 

That all went straight out of his head though, as Peter’s mouth pressed gently against his. Upon seeing the boy’s eyes sheathed by his lids, Loki closed his own and began to move his lips against Peter’s. That giddy feeling that he had felt before amplified into an unfamiliar yet wonderful sensation that made his mind buzz with anticipation. He moved one of his hands slowly up from the boy’s waist and rested it softly on his cheek as they continued the kiss. Neither pushed for more, both content with the soft and slow caress of the other. 

After much too short a time, Loki drew back and gazed at Peter, his eyes shining. Peter looked up at him under heavy lids, a small smile creeping onto his face. 

“Your other presents pale in comparison.”


End file.
